When he returned to the house, he still felt that a small drum was beating in his heart, and he was much less sleepy. However, although meditation can temporarily lift the spirit, it is still necessary to sleep.

He entered the house and glanced at Lin Qiao, forcing himself to restrain himself and sit at the door to fall asleep. After a dozen breaths, I finally fell asleep.

When I woke up, I saw that it was already dark outside the door. He leaned against the wall and slowly stretched his numb hands and feet, feeling that his energy had been replenished. I got up and walked to the courtyard to look at the moon, and saw that it was still in the west, and I must have slept for about three hours.

He let out a cold breath, stirred up the smoldering fire in the stove, and added a few more handfuls of firewood. When I walked into the back room, I saw that Lin Qiao was still asleep, and his breathing was a little nasal. She must have just caught a cold. If you don't care about this kind of thing, eat and drink well, ordinary people will be cured in six or seven days. Lin Qiao has practiced, maybe he will be able to see tomorrow.

He looked at her face faintly reflected in the moonlight through the crack in the window, then picked up the crockpot and walked to the stream. First undressed and took a shower, and then made a few naked fists to dry himself, and then fetched a can of water and walked back.

While on the road, I suddenly realized that I didn't have a nightmare this time. Although he had guessed that the whispers he heard in the nightmare were due to his own "North Star", so he could hear the muffled prayers, but now he couldn't hear those voices clearly, and it became torture.

This time I didn't even have a dream, I just felt that I slept very comfortably. He sighed in his heart, wondering if it was because of Lin Qiao. During the day, when I saw her busy and listened to her singing, I felt very calm. Maybe if you calm your mind, you can sleep well.

He went back to the dilapidated house, poured water into the three bowls on the stove, and then lightly added the washed shepherd's cabbage to the jar, and tore the wolf's leg into small strips and added it, and left it on the stove to cook. When the steaming heat came out, and the fat in the leg meat was stewed, they first warmed it by the stove, and then put the small stone slabs cut by the magic knife by the brook on the fire.

When the slate was also hot, he took some leg meat and rubbed a layer of oil on it, and then fried the crucian carp and river prawns on the slate. When the skin of the fish is golden brown and the shrimp are red, sprinkle some coarse salt and carefully turn the dough.

He stood by the stove, watching the light of the fire and listening to the soft crackling of the grease, and suddenly it occurred to him that he might be able to become a cook incognito and create some dishes of his own, such as the roast chicken of the thunder. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but shake my head and smile.

I heard Lin Qiao say, "Brother Li remembered something, so happy." ”

Li Bochen was startled, and hurriedly turned his face to look, and saw Lin Qiao standing by the door wrapped in a big coat, with two red marks pressed out on his face, his hair was also scattered, and his eyes were sleepy. When I saw her in Jinghui Building, I felt elegant and dignified, and at this time, by the firelight, I felt delicate and bright.

It's rare for her to look like this, but she can see it. Li Bochen sneered: "...... Not really. ”

Pointing to the bowl on the stovetop, he said, "Wash with this water...... I'm warm. Tooth powder...... Oh, in the baggage of the horse—"

"I'll get it. Lin Qiao walked out with a big tug, touched in the baggage, found a small bamboo tube, and hurriedly ran back, "It's so cold!"

Li Bochen smiled: "Drink some hot soup in a while, it'll be fine." ”

He put on his iron gloves and brought the slate out of the fire. Break two pieces of dry dough into pieces and soak them in the soup in the jar.

Lin Qiao took off his big hat and rolled up his sleeves to wash his face on the broken stove on the other side. Li Bochen glanced at it, and was a little hesitant whether he should avoid it—he felt that it didn't matter, but he didn't know what the folk customs of Li Guo were.

But I heard Lin Qiao say, "Brother Li, can you help me tie my hair?"

She was so generous, Li Bochen said: "Okay." ”

He walked behind Lin Qiao, carefully pulled up her long hair, held it in his palm, and Lin Qiao leaned over and slowly washed his face with the warm water in the bowl. Li Bochen saw the curve of her neck sliding all the way to her shoulders, and saw the small earlobes, so he took a gentle breath, exhaled slowly, and turned his face away.

After a while, Lin Qiao straightened up and said, "Okay, Brother Li." ”

Li Bochen hurriedly let go of his hair and walked to the stove. Lin Qiao took off the pearl and hairpin on his head, tore a strand of cloth from Luo's skirt with a snort, and pulled the long hair like a waterfall with both hands, pulled a ponytail high, wrapped it around with a strip of cloth, looked at Li Bochen with a sideways face, and said, "Brother Li, I walk the rivers and lakes with you like this, can I succeed?"

The long hair was tied up, and the side face and slender neck were all exposed. She had a smile on her face, her eyes were misty in the firelight, but she was a little excited, like a finch out of a cage.

Li Bochen felt a slight pain in his heart, but only smiled: "This is also very good-looking." ”

Lin Qiao turned his face with a smile, tied the cloth belt, put the hairpin on it, wrapped it in a big coat, took the other three pearls and cui to the courtyard and put them in the package on horseback, and said: "When we get to the next market town, we can find a house to solve the library and pawn these pawns, I think we can have a few thousand dollars - ha, Brother Li, I will be a son and daughter of the rivers and lakes in the future, so naturally I don't need these, you don't have to persuade me." ”

Li Bochen smiled and said, "Okay." ”

They chopped two pairs of chopsticks with firewood, ate fried fish and shrimp, and ate all the soup cakes in the can, feeling warm on their bodies. Li Bochen said, "Miss Lin, it's time to leave." ”

Lin Qiao stood and looked at the dilapidated house for a while, and said softly, "It's so nice here." ”

......

At the time of departure, the bright moon was already in the middle of the day, and the air was cold and humid. But after staying by the fire for a long time, I felt refreshed and refreshed.

Li Bochen explored the road to the west during the day, and the two walked in that direction. Linxi and Fengzhou are in the northwest, so they can first go west to avoid the bandits in the area of Sanguan City, and then turn north.

He led the horse, and Lin Qiao followed him. In the middle of the night, the wind in the forest is rustling, and it is very terrifying. But Li Bochen scattered the Yin soldiers as he walked, and he had already scared away all the beasts nearby. It took the two of them nearly an hour to get out of the forest and see the meadow in the distance. In the daytime, I had seen the golden earth and the blue sky, but now the grass was reflected silver by the moonlight. In the silver fields, the shining stream meanders like a jade belt, which is another refreshing scene.

Lin Qiao sighed lightly and said, "It turns out that the rivers and lakes are so beautiful, and the world is really vast. Brother Li, I feel that many years have been in vain. ”

Li Bochen hid his thoughts and didn't know how to answer her words, so he led the horse down the mountain slowly, and walked a few steps before saying: "It's beautiful, but it's also very dangerous." ”

Lin Qiao smiled: "I'm not afraid to be with you." ”

Li Bochen's heart skipped, but he could only sigh secretly.

When the two of them walked to the meadow, he finally mustered up the courage to speak, and said, "Miss Lin......"

"Huh?"

"Do you know where there are bandits nearby? Those bandits in the city yesterday, the stockade should be nearby, right?"

"Ah...... I've just heard about it. It is said that sixty or seventy miles west of Sanguan, there is a chongxiao village. Brother Li, why are you asking this?"

Li Bochen was silent for a moment, and the words came to his lips several times, but he couldn't say them anyway. Lin Qiao seemed to realize something, so he walked out silently with him and said in a low voice: "Brother Li, if you have anything to say, just say it." ”

Li Bochen took a deep breath: "I want to find a copycat." ”

He paused, and seeing that Lin Qiao was speechless, he had to continue: "There should be a lot of money. You said you wanted to buy a small Zhuangzi...... It shouldn't be a problem. ”

Lin Qiao was silent for a while and asked, "Then what?"

And then ...... I think Li Guo is too messy. You can go to the country of fish or the country of Wei...... It's the south, and the weather is warm. Now that the north is going to be armed, you can live there for many more years. ”

After a while, Lin Qiao said, "Oh." ”

Her tone was calm, and she couldn't tell whether she was happy or unhappy. Li Bochen felt his heart skip a beat, and he didn't know whether he wanted her to agree or not. After taking more than a dozen steps, Lin Qiao said, "Brother Li, thank you." But I don't want Zhuangzi anymore......"

Li Bochen didn't know how to respond to her words, so he was silent.

Hearing Lin Qiao, he took a breath lightly and said with a smile: "Forget it, you don't have to worry about me, in fact, I don't have nowhere else to go." ”

She looked northwest and raised her hand to point, "Look there." ”

Li Bochen looked in the direction she was pointing and saw some lights faintly on the horizon.

"Actually, my uncle's house is over there. ”

Li Bochen was stunned for a moment, and suddenly realized that the direction she was pointing to should be the Zhuangzi that the mother and daughter said about in the morning—the owner of the manor was her uncle?

“...... Right. ”

"And how did they ...... in the past?"

Lin Qiao smiled: "Once upon a time...... No one asks about the poor city, and there are distant relatives in the deep mountains. Over the years, I've had some money in my hands, and I've moved around a lot. Actually, I could have gone there—"

Li Bochen frowned, and was about to speak, but Lin Qiao interrupted him: "Brother Li, you don't have to worry about me. Since I'm going to stay there, I can still think of taking out the money from the treasury, and my uncle will still be my own uncle. ”

Li Bochen thought for a while and said in a low voice: "Miss Lin, if you don't want to stay there, I can still think of getting you a Zhuangzi." Thieves do many evils, and their money is taken unjustly. It shouldn't be too hard for me to get rid of them. ”

Lin Qiao sighed lowly: "Thank you." I know you're doing it for my good...... But I was content. Yesterday was the happiest day I've ever lived, and I don't have any regrets. ”

Li Bochen's heart was sour, but he could only say: "Okay." Miss Lin, I'll send you over there. ”

He asked Lin Qiao to get on the horse, and led the horse to continue walking in the meadow. He felt that his heart was very confused, and after listening to Lin Qiao's reply, he didn't know whether he was relieved or lost, or both. He thought to himself, Lin Qiao's uncle might really be a person who tends to be inflammatory...... But in this world, how many people are not? Lin Qiao still has money in the Jieku of Sanguan City, and those bandits in the city should not stay long - in a few days, the town army will come, and those bandits are not opponents.

When there is a certain turmoil in the city, there is no need for her to think of a way, her uncle should be able to do this. For the sake of all the money, and after all, there are some blood relations, she shouldn't be so sad.

In fact, Lin Qiao is not a weak woman who can be kneaded by others. A few years ago, she should have seen enough of the world and people's hearts......

He sighed deeply in his heart, and neither of them spoke again.

After walking for nearly an hour, I finally saw the Zhuangzi from a distance—at the foot of a hill, only the courtyard wall had just been raised, and in the courtyard I could see that there were three small two-story buildings that were only half built. In an open field outside the main entrance, a lot of building materials were piled up, and some simple huts were built, and the people who came to help around should live there.

There is also a group of three family members walking slowly and patrolling with torches and sticks. There are still lights in the courtyard, and I wonder if the work is being started in batches.

When he walked on the road leading to the manor, Lin Qiao said, "Brother Li, stop here." ”

Li Bochen was stunned: "Here?"

Lin Qiao dismounted: "I'll just walk over by myself." You...... You've been seen in the city, and maybe the bandits are still looking for you. If they look at it again, there will be trouble. ”

Li Bochen realized that she was right. If he really killed some great person, the bandits should find someone nearby to inquire and investigate. He is not afraid of any trouble, but if he wants people to see Lin Qiao appear with him, he will implicate her.

As for the rest...... Those people in Jinghui Building knew that Lin Qiao was walking with them. But there was a Ye Lu dead in the courtyard, and he was still a demon. Those people in the building who want to live a stable life should not be publicized everywhere. Otherwise, the matter of a demon clan lurking in the courtyard for several days will be revealed, even if he is a member of the Kongming Society, the government will be happy to take advantage of this excuse to gnaw a piece of fat.

As for the bandits on the street, they asked Lin Qiao to lie on horseback at that time, and they couldn't have seen Lin Qiao's appearance clearly. Thinking about it this way, she really wasn't in any danger.

Looking at the scale of the manor, her uncle should also have a lot of money, a head and a face, and should have enough means to make her safe.

It is only a little more than a hundred steps from here to the manor, and there are fields on both sides of the road, and a few small trees stand on the ground. Li Bochen said, "Okay, Miss Lin, I'll watch you walk over here." ”

After saying this, he remembered the pearl in the baggage, and turned around to get it. But Lin Qiao said: "Brother Li, don't worry, those are left to you." When you walk the rivers and lakes, you must always have some emergency. Also...... Let's keep a memory. ”

After hearing the latter sentence, Li Bochen was silent for a moment, and he didn't put his hand in again. But after thinking about it, he untied the knife from his horse, turned around and handed it to her: "Then you keep this knife." This knife...... It's barely a treasure sword. If your uncle likes it, you can give it to him. ”

Lin Qiao slowly took the knife and smiled in the night: "Okay." Brother Li...... You go first. I watched you go. ”

When she said this, she looked at Li Bochen quietly. Li Bochen turned his face and stared at the Zhuangzi for a while, not daring to look at her eyes. I'm afraid that I will see something again, so that I can't move my feet. After a while, he hugged his fists: "Miss Lin, I'm sorry." Take care. ”

So he turned on his horse, and took his horse's belly, and went east along the road.

After walking a few dozen paces slowly, he began to gallop wildly, and when he heard the wind whistling in his ears, he saw the mountains and forests on both sides falling backwards. The road ahead was reflected by the bright moon, like a river, and the cold wind cut his face like a knife. He didn't know where he was going, but now he felt a tightness in his chest, and he just wanted to gallop and not think about anything.

He galloped wildly for more than half an hour, and did not know where he had been, nor when, before he told the horse to slow down a little, and looked up at the sky—the moon was already in the east, and perhaps in a little while, the white belly of the fish would be seen in the sky. At this time, I looked behind me again, and saw that the mountains were stretching and the stars were shining, and I didn't see the scattered pass, let alone the Zhuangzi.

He let out a long sigh and stroked the horse's neck, thinking, forget it, so be it. Being alone also has the advantage of being alone. Affection for children...... It's really stupid.

When I was in that dilapidated house, I was eating by the stove, and I didn't even realize when Lin Qiao was standing by the door—if I met an opponent in this state, wouldn't my life be buried? Although loneliness is bitter, there is no need to worry about other things, it can make people sober.

He thought slowly in his heart, and raised his hand to rub his face vigorously.

But the next moment, suddenly a reins stopped the horse—

Wrong!

Just now, Lin Qiao said that her uncle had been living there, and she had some money "over the years" before she moved around again. But what the mother and daughter said yesterday was that the owner of the manor had just moved in and was building a new house!

He was stunned for a while, and the thoughts in his heart were racing-suddenly he remembered that Lin Qiao had turned his face to look around and saw the lights before he talked about her uncle. Could it be ......

"Hey!"

Li Bochen roared, turned the horse's head suddenly, and shouted: "Drive!"

The white horse immediately galloped away, but he only thought that the horse was running too slowly, and he wanted to jump down and carry it on his shoulder. He was ashamed and angry in his heart, but inexplicably and somewhat resolutely comfortable. All kinds of emotions were intertwined, and I couldn't help but drink again: "Brother Ma, hurry up!"

After another half an hour, I finally saw the meadow again. The eastern sky began to whiten, and the moon hung over the hills, turning into a transparent silhouette. He stared unblinkingly in the howling wind, clenching his teeth.

When the path turned another corner, I finally saw the Zhuangzi in the distance—and a lonely figure on the side of the road.

His breath suddenly dissipated, and somehow he strangled the horse again.

From a distance, I saw Lin Qiao sitting alone on a bluestone on the side of the road, holding the knife in his arms, and looking at a small tree with new leaves on the opposite side in a daze.

Li Bochen clamped the horse's belly, and the white horse moved forward slowly. Closer, Lin Qiao heard the sound of horses' hooves and turned his face to look at him, but there was no expression on his face. Her eyelashes and hair were covered in night dew, and she didn't know how long she had been sitting here.

Li Bochen walked in front of her, turned his face to look at her for a while, and said in a low voice, "You have been sitting here?"

Lin Qiao slowly raised his face and smiled: "I haven't figured out where to go yet." ”

Li Bochen stretched out a hand: "Then come with me." ”

"Where?"

"Jianghu. ”

"Good. ”